Library and Information Week

It is less than one month before libraries and information services throughout Australia celebrate Library and Information Week and highlight the vital role and value of libraries. This year’s theme – Libraries your passport to discovery – highlights the self-directed discovery element and celebrates libraries as the place to access, communicate, connect, educate, entertain and inform.

Did you know that ….

·There are over 400 corporate and business libraries in Australia and they play a key role in ensuring that business strategy and decision-making is supported by accurate, current, relevant information sources?

·There are over 400,000 full time-equivalent TAFE students in Australia and they are supported by 387 campus libraries?

·TAFE libraries had 14 million visits in 2006?

·There are approximately 12 million registered users of public libraries in Australia – almost half of Australia’s total population?

·There are over 21 million loans every year in Australian university libraries?

·There are over 1,500 public libraries in Australia with approximately 108 million visits to public libraries each year?

·Each year Australia’s public libraries lend over 178 million items?

·There are over 6,400 internet computers in public libraries in Australia and a further 1,600 computers for word processing etc.?

·There are 448 health/medical libraries. Health librarians are responsible for knowledge support to clinicians, managers, educators, researchers and some directly serve patients or health consumers?

·In 2007-08, 7.7 million people visited Australian and New Zealand national and state libraries and 132 million people visited their websites?

Media Resources

During these tough economic times it vital that your library and information organisation is in the forefront of funding bodies minds. Get the media involved and get your library noticed! We have put up a few ideas about how to deal with the media and how to make your photos media friendly. Check out the LIW website under Media Resources http://www.alia.org.au/advocacy/liw/media.html . We would also love to have some of your fabulous photos for our inCite wrap up in July, send your photos to events@alia.org.au.

Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea

The Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea will be held during Library and Information Week on Thursday 28th May 2009. Promote this event @ your library. Hosting a morning tea is fun, easy, rewarding and is another way of demonstrating how libraries and information services support the community. Register online now and you can begin inviting your guests and start fundraising today http://www.alia.org.au/advocacy/liw/2009/bmt.2009.html. The Cancer Council will also send you a host kit to make sure your morning tea is a success.

ACMA is sponsor and supporter of 2009 Library and Information Week.An excellent source of information for library staff is the four video clips on the ACMA website – www.acma.gov.au/libraries Each clip is about 6 minutes long and can be viewed individually or collectively as a team, alerting library staff to various cybersafety issues and providing advice and strategies as they support young users of technology in the library.

ACMA continues to make available their three main library project resources in print copy. These materials are free and will be posted free of charge on receipt of your order. Available is the Cybersmart Guide for Library Staff,Cybersmart Guide for Families, and the cyber rules poster. Orders can be submitted via the “Additional copies” hot link at www.acma.gov.au/libraries.